Diagnosis of Socio-Economic Prospects and Constraints for Household Biogas Adoption: A Case of Lizulu Market in Ntcheu District of Malawi

Biogas is once again emerging as a potential household cooking option that can help developing countries achieve energy targets. However, the adoption of biogas remains relatively slow, necessitating a diagnosis of the problem the review of literature identified. The review identified key factors influencing the adoption of household biogas technology, including policy and regulatory frameworks, financing mechanisms, public awareness, and socio-economic factors. Therefore, this study involved undertaking a survey where heads of 385 households were interviewed. The study found that low income of households, averaging USD 67/month, is a major constraint to biogas adoption, especially when dirty fuels cost little or nothing. In addition, a lack of awareness of the benefits of biogas over the available dirty fuels has the potential to limit its adoption. This explains why 99% of the households interviewed indicated firewood and charcoal were their first option, and 52% believed that these dirty fuels were dependable. Regardless of these bottlenecks, the study found that households are ready to try better cooking options. About 99% of households were interested in using biogas, and 94% wanted to learn more about biogas. Therefore, there is a need for increased awareness, and suppliers must adopt innovations that make biogas more accessible and competitive against traditional cooking fuels.